FLINT -- Bay City leaders hard at work Monday night trying to save federal grant dollars that would pay for police officers.
At Monday night's meeting commissioners gave the city manager approval to negotiate a deal with the department of justice, in hopes of keeping the grant.
It allows the city to hire three police officers as long as current staffing levels are maintained.
That would change if the city cuts staffing in the police department to balance the budget.
The cuts could be avoided if management gets 11% in concessions from city employees.
"The issue is if we are unsuccessful by July 1the city commission needs a balanced budget by july 1; if we are unsuccessful in obtaining those reductions then we need to resort to layoffs in order to balance the budget," Bay City Manager Robert Belleman.
Some are calling it a long shot but are willing to do whatever it takes.
The city is facing a $1.6 million dollar budget deficit.
